Alif would like to welcome H. E Mr. Abhay Thakur and Dr. Mrs. Surabhi Thakur to Mauritius. They come from a country whose National Flag speaks volumes on the philosophy of this country. The saffron colour denotes renunciation, the white represents light, the green shows India’s relation to the life giving soil, and the “Ashoka Chakra” denotes the wheel of the law of dharma. How significant! Excellency, you are now on the soil of Mauritius which is your largest trading partner, your single largest source of FDI and which is home to 11,000 Indians.
Excellency, when many countries are struggling to find a path to India’s door, we can proudly say we have a place in your heart and mind. Our relationship has quit relying on sentiment, shared history and culture and moved to tighter economic relationship. With your arrival, we hope to strengthen further our two countries’ commitment for mutual cooperation.
Your country matters to the world, not because you are a leading economic power house but because you are a beacon to the divided world for various outstanding reasons: you are a bridge builder, not a wall builder; your democratic secularism, the peaceful cohabitation of multiple faiths and languages, the freedom to be Muslim, Hindu, Christian or Sikh and to speak Hindi, Marathi, Gujrati, Tamil or Urdu and still be an Indian is a fantastic proof that peaceful living in a plural society is possible. Gandhiji’s non violence mantra has won the attention of the Pope who circulated a message titled, “Nonviolence: A Style of Politics for Peace,” to serve as a road map to use nonviolent methods as a political program for spiritual awareness, interpersonal relationships and as template for international relations.
During my visit to India last month, I saw firsthand that your country is a rising economic machine, well set on the trajectory of finding its legitimate place among the first world countries. The new airports, the roads, the open spaces and the taxis speak loudly that India means business. The Chai wala, I am not using this term in a derogative way, has embarked on a demonetization of the Indian financial system. It is an uphill battle with considerable collateral damage. I wish that his dream come true and India shows the way to the world how the thumb can be the tool to make money transactions. Nehru is believed to have told Indira Gandhi that there are two types of people in the world: those who do the work and those who run after its credit. The present leadership in India seems to belong to the first category. Let us wish Chai wala good luck in his effort to drive the curve of economic growth upwards and that of poverty downwards.
Alif would like to congratulate India for its dramatic launching of 104 satellites, thus setting a world record. And Alif Society and its guests would like all to register for the next Indian Tourism flight in space. Let us know when you are opening the book.
Happy and fruitful stay among us, Excellency.